System and method for securing calf hutches

ABSTRACT

A securement system for securing one or more calf hutches is provided. The securement system includes latch assemblies and a line. The latch assemblies are configured to be attached to the calf hutches and comprise receiver flanges and latch arms. Each receiver flange includes a vertically-extending plate defining a locking slot with an open end. Each latch arm may be shifted between a closed position in which it blocks the open end of the locking slot and an open position in which it does not block the open end of the locking slot. Each latch arm is biased to the closed position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a Continuation-In-Part (CIP) and claimspriority benefit with regard to all common subject matter ofearlier-filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/374,325, filed Apr. 3,2019, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURING CALF HUTCHES”.

BACKGROUND

Calf hutches are floorless structures that are used to house andseparate calves shortly after birth to protect them from disease duringearly development and from weather conditions. Being floorless andpositioned in fields, they are prone to gusts of wind lift them up andknock them over. This can cause injury to and loss of the calves housedin the calf hutches. Calf hutches can be secured to the ground withground-engaging anchors or spikes or with other devices, but installingand removing such devices is time-consuming and tedious.

The background discussion is intended to provide information related tothe present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

SUMMARY

The present invention solves the above-described problems and otherrelated problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of calfhutches. More particularly, the present invention provides an improvedsecurement system for securing one or more calf hutches to a groundsurface. The invention also provides a novel method of securing a calfhutch to a ground surface.

A securement system constructed in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention broadly includes a latch assembly for each calf hutch,a line, and a ratchet assembly. Each latch assembly is configured to beattached to its calf hutch and comprises a receiver flange and a latcharm. The receiver flange includes a locking slot with an open end. Thelatch arm is pivotally attached to the receiver flange and may beshifted between a closed position in which it blocks the open end of thelocking slot and an open position in which it does not block the openend of the locking slot. The latch arm is biased to the closed position.

The line may be secured to at least one anchoring structure such as apost and may be urged against the latch arm of one of the latchassemblies to shift the latch arm from its closed position to its openposition to allow a portion of the line to enter the open end of thelocking slot and be captured by the latch assembly when the latch armshifts back to its closed position to thereby secure the line in thelocking slot and thus the calf hutch on the ground surface. This maythen be repeated for each of the other line assemblies. The line maythen be tightened with the ratchet assembly to provide a downward forceon each latch and its respective calf hutch, thereby holding the calfhutches in place and preventing them from being lifted up and/or knockedover. By using the latch assemblies of the present invention, the calfhutches can be rapidly and individually secured or unsecured to theground surface.

A method of securing a plurality of calf hutches to a ground surfaceaccording to embodiments of the present invention broadly comprisessecuring a first end of a line to at least one anchoring structure;urging a first portion of the line against a latch arm of a first latchassembly attached to a top portion of a first calf hutch so that thelatch arm shifts from a closed position to an open position to allow thefirst portion of the line to enter a locking slot of the first latchassembly and be captured by the first latch assembly when the latch armshifts back to the closed position; and urging a second portion of theline against a latch arm of a second latch assembly attached to a topportion of a second calf hutch so that the latch arm shifts from aclosed position to an open position to allow the second portion of theline to enter a locking slot of the second latch assembly and becaptured by the second latch assembly when the latch arm shifts back tothe closed position. The line may also be tightened to provide adownward force on each latch and its respective calf hutch, therebyholding the calf hutches in place and preventing them from being knockedover.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the detaileddescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspectsand advantages of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanyingdrawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below withreference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a securement system for securing one ormore calf hutches constructed in accordance with embodiments of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the securement system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a latch assembly of the securementsystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 3 shifting toan open position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 3 shifting toa closed position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 3 in theclosed position and engaged with a line;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a securement system for securing one ormore calf hutches constructed in accordance with another embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a latch assembly of the securementsystem of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of the latch assembly of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method for securing a pluralityof calf hutches according to embodiments of the present invention.

The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specificembodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of the invention references theaccompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which theinvention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describeaspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled inthe art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized andchanges can be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to betaken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is definedonly by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents towhich such claims are entitled.

In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or“embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to areincluded in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separatereferences to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” inthis description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and arealso not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Forexample, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment mayalso be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included.Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinationsand/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, a securement system 10 for securing one ormore calf hutches 12, 14, 16 to a ground surface 18 is depicted. Thecalf hutches 12, 14, 16 house one or more calves and protect them fromthe elements. The calf hutches 12, 14, 16 may be floorless structuresthat rest on the ground surface 18, and each includes a top portion 20,22, 24, which may comprise a roof or other part of the calf hutches 12,14, 16. The calf hutches 12, 14, 16 may be positioned near one or moreanchoring structures 26, 28. The anchoring structures 26, 28 maycomprise stakes, portions of a building, posts, or the like. As depictedin FIG. 1, the calf hutches 12, 14, 16 may be positioned between twoanchoring structures 26, 28 partially buried in the ground surface 18and/or concrete.

The securement system 10 broadly comprises latch assemblies 30, 32, 34for each calf hutch 12, 14, 16, a line 36 that engages and is capturedby the latch assemblies 30, 32, 34, and a ratchet assembly 38 fortightening the line 36. Although three latch assemblies 30, 32, 34 andthree calf hutches 12, 14, 16 are illustrated, the securement system 10may have any number of latch assemblies for securing any number of calfhutches.

The latch assemblies 30, 32, 34 may receive portions of the line 36 andmay be attached to the top portions 20, 22, 24 of the calf hutches 12,14, 16. Turning to FIGS. 3-7, one of the latch assemblies 30 constructedaccording to embodiments of the present invention is depicted andcomprises a receiver flange 40, a latch arm 42, and a reinforcementplate 44. The receiver flange 40 may include two or more spaced-apart,vertically-extending plates 46, 48 that define a vertically-disposedchannel 50 therebetween. Each of the plates 46, 48 include matchingU-shaped recesses that together define a U-shaped locking slot 52 withan open end 54. The locking slot 52 and open end 54 are sized to receivea portion of the line 36. An abutment 56 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) isattached to the plates 46, 48 in the channel 50 to support a portion(described below) of the latch arm 42. Each of the plates 46, 48 mayinclude horizontally-extending base portions 58, 60 that rest on the topportion 20 of the calf hutch 12 and have one or more holes 62. Fasteners64 may extend through the holes 62 to secure the base portions 58, 60 tothe top portion 20 of the calf hutch 12. The fasteners 64 may be boltswith nuts and/or washes. The fasteners 64 may alternatively oradditionally include screws that engage the calf hutch 12. Additionallyor alternatively, the base portions 58, 60 may comprise a unitary pieceto which the vertically-extending plates 46, 48 are attached. In someembodiments, only one vertically-extending plate 46 may be used.

The reinforcement plate 44 is positioned on an interior surface 66 ofthe calf hutch 12 and reinforces the top portion 20 of the calf hutch 12so that the latch assembly 30 has a stronger connection to the calfhutch 12. The reinforcement plate 44 may include holes 68 correspondingto the holes 62 of the base portions 58, 60 so that the fasteners 64extending therethrough may engage the reinforcement plate 44. Thefasteners 64 may then be tightened to sandwich the top portion 20between the base portion 42 and the reinforcement plate 44. The latchassembly 30 may be attached to the calf hutch 12 any number of wayswithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

The latch arm 42 may be shifted between a closed position and an openposition to capture the portion of the line 36 in the locking slot 52,as depicted in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6. In the closed position, the latch arm42 blocks the open end 54 of the locking slot 52 (as shown in FIG. 7),and in the open position, the latch arm 42 does not block the open end54 of the locking slot 52 (as shown in FIG. 6). The latch arm 42 isbiased to the closed position so that once the portion of the line 36enters the locking slot 52, it is captured therein as depicted in FIG.7. The latch arm 42 may be pivotably mounted to the receiver flange 40in the channel 50. A pivot pin 70 may extend horizontally between thevertical plates 46, 48 and through a hole 72 in the latch arm 42 toenable the latch arm 42 to pivot about the pin 70. The hole 72 may belocated at a point 74 on the latch arm 42 so that gravity pulls aportion 76 of the latch arm 42 from the point 74 to an end 78 of thelatch arm 42 downward to rest on the abutment 56 in the closed position.For example, the portion 76 may be longer and/or heavier than the rest80 of the latch arm 42 so that pin 70 acts as a fulcrum, and gravitypulls the portion 76 down and the rest 80 of the latch arm 42 upward toblock the open end 54 of the locking slot 52. The portion 76 mayprotrude from the receiver flange 40 for easy access and may be actuatedor lifted to shift the latch arm 42 from the closed position to the openposition. However, the latch arm 42 may be shifted in any manner,including pivoting, horizontal translation, etc., without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. Additionally or alternatively, thelatch arm 42 may be biased via any method, such as via gravity, aspring, a resilient member, or the like, without departing from thescope of the present invention.

The line 36 may be secured to at least one of the anchoring structures26, 28 and urged against the latch arm 42 to shift the latch arm 42 fromits closed position to its open position to allow the portion of theline 36 to enter the open end 54 of the locking slot 52 and be capturedby the latch assembly 30 when the latch arm 42 shifts back to its closedposition to thereby secure the calf hutch 12 on the ground surface 18.The line 36 may comprise a cable, rope, twine, strap, wire, or the like.

Turning back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the line 36 may have a first end 82attached to the first anchoring structure 26. The first end 82 mayinclude a loop 84 for securing to the first anchoring structure 26. Theloop 84 may be secured to the first anchoring structure 26 via a firstcatch 86. The first catch 86 may include a hook 88 that engages the loop84. However, the first end 82 of the line 36 may be secured to the firstanchoring structure 26 in any manner without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

The ratchet assembly 38 secures a second end 90 of the line 36 to thesecond anchoring structure 28 and is configured to cinch the line 36 sothat it is taut. The ratchet assembly 38 includes a second catch 92attached to a strap 94 and a ratchet 96. The second catch 92 maycomprise a loop, and the second end 90 of the line 36 may include a hook98 that hooks onto the second catch 92. The ratchet 96 is configured toreel in the strap 94 to cinch the line 36 when it is secured to thestrap 94. The second end 90 may be connected to the second anchoringstructure 28 through additional or alternative means without departingfrom the scope of the present invention. Winding the line 36 in theratchet 96 often causes frays, or other damage, to form on the line 36.By using the strap 94 and ratchet 96, the line 36 does not have to bewound up in the ratchet 96, and instead the more flexible strap 94 iswound in the ratchet 96. This reduces costs and labor associated withmoving the calf hutch 12 to a different location.

The first catch 86 and ratchet assembly 38 may be positioned on theanchoring structures 26, 28 at heights that are lower than heights ofthe latch assemblies 30, 32, 34. This makes it so that the line 36provides a downward force on the latch assemblies 30, 32, 34 andtherefore the calf hutches 12, 14, 16 when the line 36 is cinched.

A latch assembly 30A constructed in accordance with another embodimentof the invention is shown in FIGS. 8-10. The latch assembly 30A maycomprise substantially similar components as latch assembly 30; thus,the components of latch assembly 30A that correspond to similarcomponents in latch assembly 30 have an ‘A’ appended to their referencenumerals.

The latch assembly 30A includes all the features of latch assembly 30but its locking slot 52A is configured differently. The locking slot 52Ais oblique to the latch arm 42A when latch arm 42A is in the closedposition. The locking slot 52A is angled so that a bottom portion 53A ofthe locking slot 52A is closer to a front edge 55A of the receiverflange 40A than the open end 54A of the locking slot 52A. This allowsthe line 36A to be pulled to the bottom of the locking slot 52A awayfrom the range of motion of the latch arm 42A, thereby preventing thelatch arm 42A and the line 36A from getting jammed in the locking slot52A. The locking slot 52A may be angled any number of ways withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Additionally, the receiver flange 40A includes a front portion 41A andback portion 43A that is shorter than the front portion 41A so that partof the front portion 41A acts as a catch for the line 36A. The frontportion 41A includes a front slot edge 45A, and the back portion 43Aincludes a back slot edge 47A. The front slot edge 45A and the back slotedge 47A cooperatively define the locking slot 52A. The front slot edge45A is longer than the back slot edge 47A so that the front slot edge45A catches the line 36A when the line 36A is being pulled across thetop of the receiver flange 40A toward the front portion 41A. The angleof the front slot edge 45A directs the line 36A into the locking slot52A. This allows the line 36A to be engaged with the latch assembly 30Ain a fast, simple motion and prevents the line 36A from sliding acrossthe open end 54A of the locking slot 52A, which would cause the latchingassembly 30A to fail to engage the line 36A.

The flow chart of FIG. 11 depicts the steps of an exemplary method 100of securing a plurality of calf hutches to a ground surface. In somealternative implementations, the functions noted in the various blocksmay occur out of the order depicted in FIG. 11. For example, two blocksshown in succession in FIG. 11 may in fact be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder depending upon the functionality involved. In addition, some stepsmay be optional.

Referring to step 101, the first end of the line may be secured to thefirst anchoring structure. The first end may be secured via its loopengaging the hook of the first catch. The first catch may be positionedat a height lower than the height of the calf hutches.

Referring to step 102, a first portion of the line is urged against thelatch arm of one of the latch assemblies attached to the top portion ofone of the calf hutches so that the latch arm shifts from the closedposition to the open position to allow the first portion of the line toenter the locking slot of the latch assembly and be captured by thelatch assembly when the latch arm shifts back to the closed position.This step 102 may be repeated for each calf hutch that is to be securedto the ground surface.

Referring to step 103, the second end of the line is secured to thesecond anchoring structure. The second end may be secured via its hookengaging the second catch of the ratchet assembly, which is attached tothe second anchoring structure. The ratchet assembly may be positionedat a height lower than the height of the calf hutches. This step 103 mayfurther comprise tightening the line via the ratchet. This step 103 maybe performed before or after step 102 due to the ability of the latchassemblies to receive the portions of the line. This step 103 may bealso be performed without having to thread the line through the lockingslot of each latch assembly. Additionally, step 102 may be performedagain after step 103 if an additional calf hutch is to be secured to theground surface.

Referring to step 104, one of the calf hutches may be unsecured. Thismay be performed by actuating the portion of the latch arm so that thelatch arm shifts from the closed position to the open position. Theportion of the line inside that latch assembly may then be removed frominside the locking slot.

The method 100 may include additional, less, or alternate steps and/ordevice(s), including those discussed elsewhere herein.

Although the invention has been described with reference to theembodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is notedthat equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what isclaimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includesthe following:
 1. A latch for attaching to a calf hutch and for use witha cable to secure the calf hutch, the latch comprising: a receiverflange at least partially defining a locking slot with an open end; anda latch arm shiftable between a closed position in which the latch armblocks the open end of the locking slot and an open position in whichthe latch arm does not block the open end of the locking slot, the latcharm being biased to the closed position.
 2. The latch of claim 1,wherein the locking slot is oblique to the latch arm when the latch armis in the closed position.
 3. The latch of claim 2, wherein the receiverflange has a front end, and the open end of the locking slot beingfarther away from the front end than a remainder of the locking slot. 4.The latch of claim 1, wherein the receiver flange comprises a frontportion having a front slot edge and a back portion having a back slotedge, the front slot edge and the back slot edge cooperatively definingthe locking slot, the front portion being taller than the back portionso that the front slot edge is longer than the back slot edge.
 5. Thelatch of claim 1, wherein the latch arm is biased to its closed positionby gravity.
 6. The latch of claim 1, wherein the latch arm includes aportion protruding from the receiver flange that may be actuated toshift the latch arm from the closed position to the open position. 7.The latch of claim 1, wherein the latch arm is pivotably mounted to thereceiver flange.
 8. The latch of claim 1, wherein the receiver flangefurther comprises two spaced-apart vertically-extending plates thatdefine a vertically-disposed channel therebetween in which the latch armis pivotally-mounted.
 9. The latch of claim 1, wherein the receiverflange includes a base portion having a first hole that receives afastener to attach the latch assembly to the calf hutch.
 10. The latchof claim 9, further comprising a reinforcement plate for positioning onan interior surface of the calf hutch and having a second holecorresponding to the first hole so that the second hole may also receivethe fastener.
 11. A latch assembly for attaching to a roof of a calfhutch and for use with a cable to secure the calf hutch, the latchassembly comprising: a reinforcement plate for positioning on aninterior surface of the roof of the calf hutch and having a first holeoperable to receive a fastener; a base portion having a second hole thatreceives the fastener so that the reinforcement plate and the base areoperable to sandwich the roof of the calf hutch a receiver flangeextending vertically from the base and at least partially defining alocking slot with an open end; and a latch arm pivotally attached to thereceiver flange at a pivot point so that the latch arm is pivotablebetween a closed position in which the latch arm blocks the open end ofthe locking slot and an open position in which the latch arm does notblock the open end of the locking slot, the latch arm being biased tothe closed position.
 12. The latch assembly of claim 11, wherein thereceiver flange comprises a front portion having a front slot edge and aback portion having a back slot edge, the front slot edge and the backslot edge cooperatively defining the locking slot, the front portionbeing taller than the back portion so that the front slot edge is longerthan the back slot edge.
 13. The latch assembly of claim 12, wherein thefront portion includes a front edge and the locking slot is oblique tothe latch arm when the latch arm is in the closed position so that theopen end of the locking slot is farther form the front edge of the frontportion than a bottom portion of the locking slot.
 14. An animal shelterassembly comprising: a calf hutch comprising a roof and a plurality ofwalls attached to the roof; and a latch attached to the roof of the calfhutch, the latch comprising— a receiver flange attached to the roof ofthe calf hutch and at least partially defining a locking slot with anopen end, and a latch arm shiftable between a closed position in whichthe latch arm blocks the open end of the locking slot and an openposition in which the latch arm does not block the open end of thelocking slot, the latch arm being biased to the closed position.
 15. Theanimal shelter assembly of claim 14, wherein the locking slot is obliqueto the latch arm when the latch arm is in the closed position.
 16. Theanimal shelter assembly of claim 14, wherein the receiver flange has afront end, and the open end of the locking slot being farther away fromthe front end than a remainder of the locking slot.
 17. The animalshelter assembly of claim 14, wherein the latch arm is pivotably mountedto the receiver flange.
 18. The animal shelter assembly of claim 14,wherein the receiver flange includes a base portion having a first holethat receives a fastener to attach the latch assembly to the roof of thecalf hutch.
 19. The animal shelter assembly of claim 18, wherein thereceiver flange comprises a reinforcement plate for positioning on aninterior surface of the roof of the calf hutch and having a second holecorresponding to the first hole so that the second hole may also receivethe fastener.
 20. The animal shelter of claim 14, wherein the receiverflange further comprises two spaced-apart vertically-extending platesthat define a vertically-disposed channel therebetween in which thelatch arm is pivotally-mounted.